Noisy & Bright
by starbuckfaerie21
Summary: Set immediately after "Something To Hold On To." Joel brings Alex home after her surgery.


Noisy And Bright

 **Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own neither _Saving Hope_ nor Daniel Gillies.

 **Pairing:** Joel & Alex (Jalex)

 **Rating: T**

 **Summary:** Set immediately after "Something To Hold On To."

Joel brings Alex home after her surgery.

 **Author's Note:** Title comes from a line in 02x08: "The Defriender."

"Wake up, Reid. It's time to go home." Joel Goran whispered as he leaned over the hospital bed in the room, where his wife had been for the past three days and nights while she recovered from brain surgery.

Alex stirred at the sound of her husband's voice. "Joel, how are the kids? Did they get off to school okay?" She asked, sitting up slowly and blinking against the brightness of the sun as it shone through the blinds.

 _After brain surgery it's quite normal for things to seem very noisy and bright._

She remembered hearing Shahir say that once.

 _But she hadn't known what it meant until now._

Alex tried to ignore her discomfort and focus on Joel and going home.

Alex looked up at Joel and he flashed her one of his trademark grins and replied, "The kids are fine Reid. They can't wait to see you. They missed you. _I_ missed you."

Her heart broke at the emotion in his voice.

"Oh Joel, baby, I missed you too." She whispered, reaching out towards him until he was close enough to kiss her. "Let's go home. Do we need to get Theo?"

Joel shook his head, "Malanda's going to bring him by later after you get settled."

Alex nodded, wincing again as the sun caught her eye as she turned to look at Joel.

"Hey," Joel asked softly, laying a hand on her arm, "What's the matter? Are you in pain?"

Alex nodded, the movement causing a slight twinge of pain in her head.

"Everything's just so… loud. And so… bright. I thought the pain would stop after surgery. I just want things to get back to normal."

Joel chuckled pressing his lips to his wife's ear. "And they will. Alex you _just_ had brain surgery two days ago. Give yourself time to heal."

 _Only Alex Reid would want to be back on her feet two days after brain surgery._

Any other patient would've been in the ICU for weeks recovering. Joel knew the only reason Shahir was letting Alex go home at all was because they were both doctors and they would know what to do if anything went wrong.

Joel grabbed Alex's bag and slipped it over his shoulder as he watched her move slowly and carefully out of the bed.

"Nice and easy, love. Come on. I've got you." He said keeping his voice deliberately soft as he wrapped a gentle yet firm arm around her waist as they together they walked slowly toward the door and down the corridor toward the elevator.

"Doctor Reid you do know that it's a violation of hospital policy not to escort patients off the premises in a wheelchair don't you?"

"I'm aware of that, Doctor Goran. But rules are meant to be broken." Alex said, her lips curving up into a slight smile.

And it made Joel smile too.

 _That's the first time I've seen her smile in weeks._

"Yes ma'am they certainly are." Joel replied, flashing her another one of his trademark grins.

As they got on the elevator, Alex exhaled leaning heavily against the back wall, wincing once more against the brightness and the noise.

"You all right Alex?" Joel asked softly his voice against the shell of her ear. His lips brushing against the skin of her neck made her shiver with a familiar desire.

 _God, I've missed him._

 _And it's only been three days._

"Under different circumstances we'd be having a lot more fun in this elevator." Alex answered, squeezing her husband's hand.

 _Alex Reid you saucy minx._

"That's okay, Reid. I'll take a rain check when you're feeling better." Joel replied, as he watched Alex wince at the ding of the elevator letting them know they'd reached the main lobby floor.

Without waiting for her to ask Joel reached into the pocket of his leather jacket, and handed Alex his favorite pair of sunglasses.

"Slip these on before we go outside. It might help." Joel said, his arm still wrapped around her waist, and his free hand still on her arm.

"Joel, you _never_ let me wear these glasses. You love them." Alex said, incredulously her mouth opening in a tiny o of surprise.

"Not as much as I love you, Reid." Joel said, kissing her lips tenderly as they approached the automatic exit door at the front of Hope Zion.

Joel had pulled the car right up to the door so Alex wouldn't have to walk a long distance. Despite the brave face that Alex was putting on he knew that she was exhausted.

He flashed her one of his trademark grins as she put on his sunglasses. "Those look even better on you than I thought they would, Reid. Ready to go home?" Joel asked, tossing Alex's bag in the backseat and opening the passenger door for her.

"Yeah." Alex said, smiling a little. "But do you mind if we make a quick stop in Vancouver first?"

It was Joel's turn to smile, "That's pretty far to go for a latte Reid. But I made a promise so…"

"No, it's not for coffee, Joel…Although that _does_ sound really good right now…But there's this wig shop on West Broadway that I want to check out."

Joel glanced at Alex as he climbed into the driver's seat next to her, and covered her hand with his own. "Alex, love you know you don't have to do that. Your hair will grow back."

"I know. But until then I want to look as normal as possible." Alex whispered, softly.

 _For you._

 _For the kids._

 _For myself._

Joel flashed her another one of his trademark grins, and said, "But if it's what you want I'll support you."

"Thank you, Joel. I need you to help me match my natural hair color and style as closely as possible."

Joel Goran could tell you everything about Alex Reid's beautiful shoulder length dark hair.

 _How soft it felt whenever he brushed it away from her face._

 _How it smelled just after Alex had washed it._

 _How it felt when he ran his fingers through it whenever they made love._

"I think I can manage that Reid. So where are we headed?"

107 West Broadway. Eva & Co. If we leave now we should be able to get there and back before the kids get home from school."

"Yes ma'am we should. And yes we can stop to get you an extra large latte on the way."

"Thank you, Joel. I love you." Alex replied, softly, just before she leaned back in the passenger seat and fell asleep.

"I love you too, Alex. Just lie back and rest." He said, pressing a kiss to her forehead just before he started the car.

Alex slept all the way to Vancouver. She woke up when Joel pulled off the road in from of the building.

Joel glanced in her direction and smiled when he saw that her hazel eyes were open. "Hey. How're you feeling?"

Alex leaned forward slowly, as she opened the passenger door reaching for her bag. "I'll feel better once I look more like myself." She replied softly, grateful that Joel had given her his sunglasses.

Now it seemed that the pain in her head had eased to a dull ache. But the sound of her sneakers on the pavement still echoed uncomfortably in her ears.

Joel closed his door, locked the car and walked with Alex through the door, his hand once again on her arm. "You always look like a million bucks Reid. With or without your hair."

Alex smiled, and brushed a soft kiss against the mole behind his ear and whispered, "And you always know just what to say don't you, Doctor Goran?"

"Only to you, Doctor Reid." Joel replied, his voice against her ear.

 _When she shivered, she told herself it was just the air conditioning as they entered the shop._

 _But she knew it was something else too._

"Are you cold, love?" Joel asked, and without waiting for her to answer, he took off this jacket and draped it over Alex's shoulders.

"Thank you, Joel baby." She whispered, taking his hand as they walked down the shop's main aisle.

"No problem. But if you spike a fever we're going right back to the hospital. Wig or not."

"Joel, I'm…" She was about to say "fine" when the saleswoman came into view from the back of the shop heading straight for Joel as though Alex were invisible.

"Can I help you sir?" She said, too politely, her voice saccharine sweet as she reached out a hand toward Joel. But he'd taken a step back so that the woman touched empty air.

Alex went still for a moment and he squeezed her hand, as if to say, "You've got nothing to worry about, love. I've got this."

 _He'd met so many women like this one_

 _He could spot them in seconds._

 _Like sharks going in for the kill._

 _They saw his good looks and nothing else._

 _They flirted with him shamelessly and assumed that he wanted to sleep with any woman who crossed his path._

 _Once upon a time, he probably would have._

 _But not anymore._

 _Now he had Alex._

 _He had everything he ever wanted._

"Yes, my wife is looking for a wig."

The woman nodded indulgently and he took a little bit of satisfaction in the way her eyes widened when he emphasized the word "wife."

"Of course. What kind were you looking for?"

"I should've brought in a recent picture." Alex murmured reaching into her bag for her phone.

Joel laid a hand on her arm, stilling her movements, "We don't need a picture love. I know everything there is to know about your hair.

Alex smiled, playfully, "Oh really?"

"Yes ma'am." Joel said turning to the sales woman. "Dark. Shoulder length. Soft waves framing her face…"

"Those are called layers Joel." Alex interrupted.

The sales woman nodded again, "Of course. Well as you can see…Oh I'm sorry…We have quite a selection. I'd be happy to show you some options."

"Yes please." Alex replied, "And by the way I'm not blind."

"I'm sorry." The woman mumbled again. "I saw the glasses and I just assumed…"

"That's all right. What's your name?" Alex asked her voice suddenly as syrupy sweet as the other woman's had been when she'd first spoken to Joel.

"Madeline." The woman answered. Alex nodded and then regretted it as her vision blurred a bit around the edges.

"Madeline." Alex repeated. "Why don't you go grab some options for us okay?"

"Sure. I'll be right back."

When Madeline disappeared into the back of the store, Joel and Alex burst out laughing. "First, she tries to hit on my husband. Then she assumes I'm blind. I don't know which is more insulting."

Joel chuckled, but before he could speak Madeline reappeared carry several different styles of wigs on mannequin heads.

"Here we have the Abbey. It's one of our most popular choices." Madeline said smiling.

Alex took one look and shook her head. "It's too dark and too short. Don't you think, Joel?" She asked looking at her husband for confirmation.

And Joel nodded, just as she knew he would.

After a moment, Madeline spoke again, "Perhaps if you took off your glasses you'd be able to get a better look."

Alex was so taken aback by the woman's rudeness that for a moment, she was speechless.

She inhaled and was about to speak but instead it was Joel who replied, "Excuse me, Madeline. Not that this is any of your business, but my wife just had brain surgery. So unless you can turn off these florescent lights, she will not be removing her glasses."

"I'm…"Madeline protested but Joel raised his hand. "If you can just show us the wigs please."

Without speaking Madeline held up another wig that was the right length. But Alex wrinkled her nose at the blonde highlights.

"This is the Angelica." Madeline said, and then she waited silently for a response.

Alex shook her head, and whispered, "Why do they all have women's names?"

"I dunno." Joel said, smiling, "Maybe we should see if there's one called Alex."

Alex gave a halfhearted chuckle and then let out a sigh of frustration, "I just want to look like myself again. Not wear a wig that's named after a ten dollar hooker."

Joel squeezed her hand, "Don't worry. We'll find something. And don't ever compare yourself to a ten dollar hooker. Do you hear me Alex Reid?"

Alex didn't answer because her eyes were fixed on a wig that she spotted out of the corner of her eye.

"That one." Alex whispered, her voice shaking slightly, "It's almost exactly like my hair."

Joel nodded, "Well not _exactly_. And I bet you a dirty weekend that it's not as soft as your hair. But I think that's the closest we're going to get, Reid."

 _The wig had the same long soft layers that mirrored Alex's natural hair._

 _It had just the right amount of femininity and sex appeal._

 _Just like Alex._

"We call that one the Avery. It's on sale right now for two –hundred forty-nine dollars." Madeline said smiling, and as if to seal the deal, she went on. It's marked down from three-hundred nineteen. And it's the _last_ one in stock."

Joel sincerely doubted that was true but he nodded, and Madeline took down the mannequin head that was displaying the Avery.

"Joel, two hundred and forty-nine dollars is more than I spend on haircuts in a year."

Joel shrugged, "So when your hair grows back we'll donate it to Locks of Love or the hospital."

"Are you sure? Let's just go home." Alex protested.

"Hey, this little field trip was your idea Reid. You said you needed this to feel like yourself again. Don't worry about the money. Just try it on."

Alex tried on the wig and Joel flashed her on of his trademark grins.

"There you are, love." Joel whispered, tucking a few dark strands behind her ear out of habit.

 _It wasn't as soft as Alex's real hair._

 _But it would do until hers grew back._

"Joel, are you sure it looks like me?" Alex asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Yes ma'am, I _definitely_ am." Joel replied.

 _The smile on her face was worth every penny._

As they walked out of the shop, Joel could see the energy slowly draining from Alex's face.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, letting her lean into him for support.

"Let's get you home so you can rest." Joel whispered in her ear, unlocking the car, opening Alex's door and watching her practically collapse into the passenger seat.

"That sounds good. I'm so tired. That little field trip took a lot out of me. We should pick up dinner on the way home."

Alex's words ran together as she drifted off to sleep.

"Chinese it is." Joel replied starting the car.

"Joel, baby…What do you think the kids will think? What if they don't recognize me? Especially Theo…"

"Alex, you're their mother. And of course Theo will recognize you." Joel said as he pulled back onto the main highway heading home.

"Joel, I love you. Thanks for coming for me today." Alex whispered just before she fell asleep.

"I'll always come for you, Alex. And I love you, too." Joel replied, brushing his lips gently against her forehead before his gaze returned to the road home.


End file.
